FARMINGTON — The University of Maine at Farmington is pleased to announce that it has received a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 — its highest rating to-date — from Campus Pride, the premier LGBTQ national benchmarking tool for colleges and universities to create safer, more inclusive campus communities.
The Campus Pride score is based on eight LGBTQ-friendly factors, including: policy inclusion, support & institutional commitment, academic life, student life, housing & residence life, campus safety, counseling & health and recruitment and retention efforts. The Index is an overall indicator of institutional commitment to LGBTQ-inclusive policy, program and practice.
“We are proud to receive a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating on the Campus Pride Index this year. As an overall indicator of institutional commitment to LGBTQ-inclusive policy, our new rating affirms the work we continue here at UMF,” said Lisa Ellrich, assistant vice president of enrollment management and director of admissions.
“It shows students and their support network that we strive to provide an academic experience and a quality of campus life here on campus that is safe, supportive, and continually working to improve upon ways in which we support not only our students but also our staff and faculty. “
A long-time leader in LGBTQ+-friendly policies, UMF pioneered one of the very first LGBTQ+ student organizations in northern New England. It is committed to a continuing effort to support student’s needs and build support and programming across campus.
Some of Farmington’s current supportive policies involve its campus-wide gender inclusive housing policy, chosen name change policy, Safe Zone identification and training, gender neutral bathrooms, health clinic and counseling support, Faculty/Staff Out-List, Queer Student Union, and more.
UMF is also a long-time supporter of EqualityMaine, the largest statewide organization dedicated to creating a fair and just society for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Mainers.
A nationally-recognized liberal arts college known for its commitment to student success, UMF provides a challenging yet supportive environment to prepare students for both careers and further study. Rooted in a tradition of teacher preparation, UMF offers top quality programs in the arts and sciences, teacher preparation, and pre-professional studies. Located in the heart of Maine’s four-season outdoor recreational region, UMF is a welcoming, close-knit academic community that prepares students for engaged citizenship, enriching professional careers and an enduring love of learning.
